Fluid mixing and serving mechanism



March 16, 1954 C, JOHNSON 2,672,089

FLUID MIXING AND SERVING MECHANISM Filed 001;. 50, 1948 25 243 FJ] 7 m k24 1 I a9 42 3 Q 25 37/ s: 2zy INVENTORQ aAef/vcf JOHNSON BY aka @FlinPatented Mar. 16, 1954 meme zssignm ents. to Manufacturing; Company;Pittsburgh. Par... w corporation et Bennsylvania "This invention relatesto'l mechanisms' for mixing and serving iiuids automeetieelly iinpredetermined quantities, and more particular@ toL mech ansms forserving liquids andv a gaseous. mixed'v in predeterminedv quantitiestoforma drink.

Manyr of Ythe ordinary bottled drinksV found on the market toda-yconsist of' nothing more. than a syrut:V mixed with w21-tez"-` that hasbeen charged by agaseous Huid, soon es carbon dioxide- By mixing thesyrup; the Weiter and the gaseous lnid at the location where the drinkis toA be consumed and discharging the 'mixto-ie 'the proper amount toe; drinking' `cnn or gia-ss, the` expense of hottli'ng may be removed'and theexpense of transportation 'may he reduced sin-ee the tap Waterat the particular location be used'.

' An ohject' yofv myv invention is to provide en improved' 'mechanismfor and serving fiiiids automatically in Apredetenneined quantities; Amother' ohect 's to prov-ide an improved mechanism'. forydischerging'-liqnids inpredetermined quantites-from seperate sources toa conn-non recep-f taole: Yet ano-ther object is to provide a mechenismfor discharging syrup and Water'charged by a gaseous uid inpredetermined quantities to e common receptecleend, at the same timedeliveringWaterI from la; source to a mixing chamber towhichgaseousfil-iid is supplied under pressure.

A preferred form of my'invention include a piston having, steppedportions that ere'- reciprocable in 'cylinder bores having valve'controlled intake andl discharge passages communicating therewith. Thespace in one ci the-bores may be connected by' its intake passage to echamber containing syrup. The otherbore may be connested et one side ofthe piston by its intake passe-ge to a mixing chamber to which gaseousfinie, `such as carbonA dioxide, is supplied continuously onderpressure, and to which water is supplied through the discharge passagecommunicating-"with the seme bore atA the other side of the piston.VWater is supplied from a suitable Fig. I is. a. sectional View my' imi-nprove'df mechanism .for and serving neunte'.

Fig. 2 is a pian: View* oi? Fig. J..`

Fig.. 3i is. a horizontalf sectional View.' taken 'on the plane vof the.lineAk 3F21: of Fig.. 1.

Fig. 4 a horizonte! sectional' View taken on the. piene; of the .line 1-4L of' Fig.

Referringto the drew/ing it Wild be noted that there is. shownavcylinder l? e.. in. which a1 portion of' e. piston i is reeinrocahlyreceived.. A cylinder'. head 5 fits: within the bore 2" andi is providedwith enlarged pewllinl'iav resting upon a shonider 'l at the upper-end.'of the bore. Extending into the cylinder head .its lower end' is' here 8reciprooahly' .receiving a reduced portion Q2' of piston 4i. Theupistonportion 3A is show-n asf en ennuier member having a forced nt'. on the'.portion so that they operate: together asia. single; piston.. Foi-mediintegrahy with the piston portion. 9' isapiston: rod if! extending from.the Iower side o-i the portion '3 through. a tower cylinder' head t2rests upon a split ring i4 fitting With-in er1-annuler groove formed?the. cylinder li. Screws 't5 extend through Geerlings in a. can.engaging the lower end of the cylindery .are 'threaded into openings inthe Iower cyiind'er heed for holding it nem-Iy engagement; the. .ringH3. Y".lhe diameter ci the pis-"ton rod te slightily gir-'eater then ofthe pistonportion `Si terreesonsthatfwiiii shortly be described'. .For'reeiprocating the piston. members there is provided a rod 'l pivotaliyconnected tothe. piston roa -ril and carrying n sleeve portion. I8 ttingover-an eccentric. cam lid which is.` rotated by elpee/er shaft 26.Any'st'rable. power means, not: shown, may be provided for rotatiufrg`the shaft .zd through one revolution upon the insertion of a. coin.into-va. slot.

Arranged' within the V'cylinder member t above the upper cylinder' is. ablock 2E heid in engagement; with a. sont. Z3 by screws 24 extendingthrough openings a cylinder can 25 endl threaded into openings intheMonk. Ciamped between the: bleek 222 and Vthe cylinder heed 's a liaiiieniate 126 Wha is es shown in Fig.. 3, so that its Vertical edgesx arespaced ane-rt a; short distainee to provid-Ye communication he tween thespaces 2lA amd- Zii et opposite sides Vci the heide. It Wiii be notedthat thel baie acts to holdthe cylinder head 5i frmiy engagement withtheshoul'der Opening through` the lower cylinder v2 is 'a passage 3U-'for conducting Water-'1 from af. pipe connection 3l! Vvto thecylllinder'bore et the Iower side ci? the piston portion A haliva'lve?!ys arranged in the passage to prevent any water from being forced out ofthe bore 2 toward the pipe 3| when the piston 4 is moved downwardly inthe bore. A spring 33 acts to move the ball valve toward its closedposition, but the spring is sufficiently light so that pressure of thewater supply will unseat the valve. A discharge passage 35'extendsthrough the lower cylinder head from the bore 2 and is connected by aconduit 36 to a passage 31 extending through the block 22 intocommunication with the space 21. A nozzle 38 is connected in thedischarge end of the passage 31 so that the water is introduced in a nespray to the space 21. A ball valve 33 is arranged in the passage 31 toprevent the ilow of fluid through the passage away from the space 21 andto permit ilow in the opposite direction. A spring 43 urges the valvetoward its closed position. Extending through the block 22 is anotherpassage 42 for supplying a gas, such as carbon dioxide, from a supplyconnection 43 to the space 21. This gas is delivered to the space 21 ata pressure of approximately 10i) pounds per square inch. As the water issprayed into the space 21 it becomes thoroughly mixed with the gas andthen passes between the ends of the baille plate to the space 28.Extending through the cylinder head 5 is a passage l5 connecting thespace 28 at the side of the baille opposite the opening between itsedges to the bore 2 at the upper side of the piston portion 3. A ballvalve 46 permits the flow of mixed gas and water toward the bore 2 butprevents new in the opposite direction.

As mentioned above the piston rod iii is slightly larger in diameterthan the piston portion S. This means that the working space within thebore 2 beneath the piston portion 3 is slightly smaller than the workingspace above this piston portion. The diierence between the volumes of apassage 48 communicating with a conduit di! J" which receives syrup froma suitable source. A spring pressed ball valve 50 opens to pass syruptoward the bore 8 and operates to prevent flow in the oppositedirection. Another passage 52 opens through the cylinder head 5 into thebore 3 near its upper end and is connected to a conduit 53 whichcommunicates with a passage 54 in a central body portion 55 of a nozzle5E. Opening through the cylinder head 5 into the upper end of the bore 2is a passage 5S which is connected to a conduit 59 communicating with apassage G extending through a cap 6i threaded upon the body portion 55of the nozzle. The passage 54 in the body portion 55 extends axiallythrough the latter and opens into a space 62 within a cap 63 threadedupon the lower end of the body portion. Formed in the portion 55 aroundthe passage 54 are several passages 65 for conducting fluid from thepassage to the space 62. Cooperating with the passage E0 is a springpressed ball valve 56 which opens to pass fluid from the passage 63 tothe passages 65 and closes to prevent iiow in the opposite direction.Another spring pressed ball valve 31 cooperates with the passage 54 topass fluid from this passage to the space 52 and to prevent flow in theopposite direction. The valve 61 is arranged at the discharge end oi'the passage 54 so that the syrup discharged from the latter is sprayedoutwardly into the paths of `the charged water and is thoroughly mixedtherewith. Opening through the cap 63 is a port 68 through which themixed fluids may be discharged to a suitable container.

The operation of the mechanism described is as follows. The piston 4normally assumes a position in which its portions 3 and 9 are located atthe upper ends of the bores 2 and 8, respectively. The power mechanismdriving the piston is so designed that it causes the piston to make onecomplete reciprocation when a coin is inserted. When the piston is inits upper position, the space in the bore 2 beneath the piston portion3, the passage 35, the conduit 36 and the passage 31 up to the ballvalve 39 are completely lled with water received from the conduit 3|. Assoon as the piston is moved downwardly, water charged by the carbondioxide gas is taken from the space 23 through the passage 45 to thebore 2 at the upper side of the piston portion 3. The water at the lowerside of the piston portion 3 is forced at the same time through theconduit 36, past the valve 39 and through the nozzle 38 to the chamberspace 21. Since the water and gas are rst mixed in the chamber 21 andmust pass between the edges ci the baille and around the latter to reachthe passage 45, it will be seen that a thorough mixing of the gas andwater is obtained before it is discharged to the bore 2. Downwardmovement of the piston 4 also produces a flow of syrup to 'the bore 'dfrom the conduit 43. As the piston is moved upwardly to complete itsreciprocation, syrup is forced from the bore 8 through the conduit 53and the passage 54 to the space S2 in the lower cap of the nozzle 56.The charged water is forced from the bore 2 through the conduit 53, thepassage 60 and the passages 65 to the space 52, and a new supply ofwater is taken from the conduit 3l into the bore 2 beneath the pistonportion 3. The charged water and syrup are thoroughly mixed in the space52 of the nozzle 56 and are discharged through the opening 63 to asuitable receptacle, not shown.

While there is shown in this application one form which my invention mayassume in practice, it will be understood that the invention may bemodified and embodied in various other forms without departing from itsspirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. A mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination,means providing a plurality of bores of different diameters, pistonportions reciprocable in said bores, means for reciproeatingv saidpiston portions in synchronism with each other, valve controlled intakeand discharge passages openinginto each of said adjacent one end, achamber, means for supplying a gaseous `duid continuously to saidchamber under pressure, means actuated by said piston reciprocatingmeans for delivering a predetermined quantity of liquid to said charnberon each reciprocation of said piston portions, one of saidintake-passages communicating with said chamber for supplying a mixtureof liquid and gaseous iluid to one of said bores, means for supplying adiiferent fluid to another of said intake passages, a nozzle havingseparate passage means communicating with said discharge passages, amixing chamber receiving fluid from said separate passage means, andpassage means for discharging mixed fluids from said mixing chamber.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 including a baie arranged in said firstmentioned chamber to form a circuitous path through which the gaseousfluid and liquid must 'flow between the point at which they enter thechamber and are discharged therefrom to said one of said intakepassages.

3. A mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination,means providing a pair of stepped sores opening into each other andclosed at their outer ends, a piston having portions reciprocable insaid bores, means including a piston rod connected to said piston foreiecting reciprocation of the latter, valve controlled passage means forsupplying a liquid to the larger one of said bores at one side of saidpiston, means providing a chamber, valve controlled passage means forconducting liquid from said larger bore to said chamber. means forsupplying a gaseous fluid under pressure to said chamber, valvecontrolled passage means for supplying mixed gaseous fluid and liquidfrom said chamber to said larger bore at the other side of said piston,a Valve controlled discharge passage communicating with said larger boreat said other side of said piston, valve controlled supply and dischargepassages communicating with the smaller one of said bores, a nozzlehaving separate passage means communicating with the discharge passagesfrom said bores and opening into a mixing chamber, and passage means fordischarging mixed iiuids from said mixing chamber.

4. A mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination,means providing a pair of stepped bores opening into each other andclosed at their outer ends, a piston having portions reciprocable insaid bores, means including a piston rod connected to said piston foreffecting reciprocation of the latter, valve controlled passage meansfor supplying a liquid to the larger one of said bores at one side ofsaid piston, means providing a chamber, a baffle arranged in saidchamber for separating the latter into chamber spaces communicating witheach other adjacent one side of the chamber, valve controlled passagemeans for conducting liquid from said larger bore to one of said chamberspaces, means for supplying a gaseous i'luid under pressure to the oneof said chamber spaces to which liquid is conducted, valve controlledpassage means for supplying mixed gaseous fluid and liquid from theother of said chamber spaces adjacent the opposite side of said chamberto said larger bore at the other side of said piston, a valve controlleddischarge passage communicating with said larger bore at said other sideof said piston, valve controlled supply and discharge passagescommunicating With the smaller one of said bores, a nozzle havingseparate passage means communicating With the discharge passages of saidbores and opening into a mixing chamber, and passage means fordischarging mixed fluids from said mixing chamber.

5. The mechanism of claim 4 in which said piston rod has a diametergreater than that of the smaller portion of said piston and extendsthrough the outer end of the larger one of said bores for connection tosaid piston, and the rst mentioned one of said valve controlled passagemeans conducts liquid to the outer end of the larger one of said bores.

6. A mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination, acylinder having a bore therein, cylinder heads supported within saidbore at spaced points, a reduced bore formed in one of said cylinderheads and opening into said cylinder bore, a piston having portionsreciprocably received in said bores, a piston rod extending through theother of said cylinder heads and connected to said piston for effectingreciprocation of the latter, a valve controlled intake passage extendingthrough said other cylinder head into communication with said cylinderbore, means for supplying a liquid to said intake passage, a blocksupported within said cylinder at a point spaced from said one of saidcylinder heads so as to form a chamber space therebetween, a Valvecontrolled discharge passage extending through said other cylinder headinto said cylinder bore and through said block into said chamber space,means for supplying a gaseous iiuid continuously to said chamber space,a valve controlled passage extending from said chamber space throughsaid one of said cylinder heads into said cylinder bore, a valve controlpassage for supplying fluid to one end of said reduced bore, a nozzlehaving separate valve control passages therein, passage means forconnecting said separate passages in communication with said reducedbore and with said cylinder bore at its end adjacent said reduced, bore,a mixing chamber in said nozzle receiving fluid from said separatepassages, and passage means for discharging mixed iiuids from saidmixing chamber.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 in which the diameter of said piston rod isgreater than that of said reduced bore.

8. The mechanism of claim 6 including a valve member cooperating withthe end of one of said separate passages opening into said mixingchamber and operating when unseated to direct iiuid as a spray into thepath of the fluid discharged from the other of said separate passages.

CLARENCE JOHNSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 661,259 Elam Nov. 6, 1900 1,058,383 Von Peim Apr. 8, 19131,243,068 Humphrey Oct. 16, 1917 1,360,298 Johnston Nov. 30, 19201,798,095 Manley Mar. 24, 1931 1,860,768 Bohnenblust Sept, 11, 19342,427,429 Waite Sept. 16, 1947 2,495,210 Copping Jan. 24, 1950

